Shoes or sandals



1963 F. c. KIXMlLLER ETAL 9 9 SHOES OR SANDALS Filed Nov. 16, 1961 F' 7fi .7

INVENTORS ll -C /XM/LLER Dl ETRo /z 9/ ATI'ORNEY;

United States Patent O 3,099,884 SHOES OR SANDALS Frmk C. KixmiileandDemetre J. Petro, both of 410 Zoi-ada St., St. Augustine, Fle. FiledNov. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 152,8S9 1 claim. (Ci. 36-25) This inventionrelates to improvements in shoes or sandals and consists of an improvedmeans for easily detachably connecting an upper 'to a sole or shoebottom in such manner that it will be possible for an individual toselectively use a variety of uppers having different colors and stylesfor application to a sole.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improvedshoe or sandal structure comprising a shoe bottom and an upper which mayconsist of any shape or design, the facing surfaces of the shoe and theupper having quickly attachable and releasable interconnecting fabricmeans consisting of a fabric portion on the bottom of the upper and afabric portion on the top surface of the sole; said fabric portionscomprising one with flexible loops and the other with flexible but stilihooks, the latter of which are adapted to detachably engage in the loopsto removably hold the fabric portions together.

Other objects and advantages of this inventon will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed descripton.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andwherein similar reference characters designate corresopnding partsthroughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the improved shoe or sandal showing the upperattachcd to 'the sole and in dotted lines showing the location and shapeof the means by which the upper is attached to the sole.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the shoe of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the sole of the shoe, showing one fabricportion of the attaching means by which an upper can be detachablyconnected to the sole.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially on theline 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the upper showing the complementaryfastening means on the upper, which can be attached to the fasteningmeans shown in FIG. 3 on the sole, for detachably connecting an upper inSecured yet detachable relation upon the sole.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken through one of thefabric fastener portions showing hooks thereon.

'F-IG. 7 is -a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the manner in whichthe hooks of one fastener portion cooperate with the loops of anotherfastener portion to detachably connect the fastener portions together.

in the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generallydesignate a shoe or sandal which consists of a sole B, an upper C andmeans D by which the upper can be detachably connected to the sole forquick release.

The sole B may be of -any approved Construction and of course it iselongated and intermediate its ends it may fleX if desired.

The upper C may vary considerably in design shape. It may consist of anendless loop of flexible fabric or other material adapted to receive theforepart of the foot of the wearer; the improved fastener means D beingpositioned so that the shoe may receive the foot of the wearer in thedesired relaion, according to the type of shoe.

The means D by which the upper C may be attached &099,884 Patented Aug.6, 1963 to 'the sole B preferably consists of flexible fabric fastenerportions 10 and 11, either of which may be attached to the sole or theupper. Preferably the fastener portion 11 consists of a fabric base 12of woven material. Normally a synthetc resin such as nylon is preferred,and the same is provided with a pile surface 13 composed of a mass offlexible outstanding loops 14. The other fastener portion 10 includes awoven base structure 12 of weft and warp threads having a plurality ofauxiliary warp threads of a synthetic resin such as nylon, in the formof raised pile threads, said threads being indicated at 15 in thedrawings 'and having their ends hooked at 16. These pile threads attheir ends 16 are relatively stili yet bendable and the hooks areintended to engage in the loops 14 of the fastener portion 11 when thefasteners 10 and 11 are brought into complementary relation, for thesecure yet detachable holding of said fastener portions together. Thefastener portions 10 and 11 may be released by pulling them apar t by apeeling motion, since the hooks 16 will bend to permit such release andthey are spring biased so as to snap back into position.

The upper surface of the sole B may be provided with a countersunkcircular opening 20, within which the fastener 11 may be located so thatthe pile loops stand upwardly. The fastener portion 10 may be Secured tothe under surface of the endless loops C forming the upper and of coursenormally facing downwardly. These fastener portions 10 and 11 may becircular in formation or any other desired shape, consistent With thetype of upper and design of the shoe upon which used.

It Will be apparent from the foregoing that all the wearer has to do isto select the desired upper C as to design, style or color and move thefastener portions 10 and 11 into their fastened relationship, such isdiagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7, and the upper will be held upon'the sole in order that the wearer may slip his or her foot into theendless loop C.

The fastener portions 19 and 11 may be permanently Secured to the upperand the shoe by any approved means, such as by adhesion, stapling andsewing.

Various changes in the shape size, and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown and described, without `departingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the claim.

I claim:

A shoe comprising an elongated sole, and a detachable flexible upper,said sole and upper having complementary fastener portions mountedthereon, said fastener portions each being of synthetic resin wovenmaterial, one of which fastener portions is provided with a plurality ofoutwardly facing relatively stifi flexible pile hooks and the otherfastener portion of which is provided with a plurality of outwardlyfacing flexible pile loops, said pile hooks and loops being arranged onein the sole and the other on the upper so that the hooks are adapted todetachably and releasably engage in the loops of the other fastenerportion when said fastener portions are pressed together to securely butdetachably hold the upper on the sole, the fastener portions being ofdisc-shaped formation with the fastener portion of the sole countersunkin the sole but exposed on the upper surface thereof with said pilesurface facing upwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,343,701 Pickens Mar. 7, 1944 2,607,133 Marlowe Aug. 19, 1952 2,651,117Harris Sept. 8, 1953 2,873,540 Murphy Feb. 17, 1959 2,952,925 Held Sept.20, 1960-

